


Giveth My Heart to You

by mage_989



Category: Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Apologies, Canon Related, McSpirk Holiday Fest, Medical Procedures, Multi, Surgery, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-15
Updated: 2018-02-15
Packaged: 2019-03-19 09:07:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13701324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mage_989/pseuds/mage_989
Summary: Peace has been reached between Eminiar and Vendikar huzzah!  Now the only thing left is to seal the deal by performing an exchange of self with each leader.  They will literally give up their heart to the other to bring a new era of tranquillity.  Naturally this will have to be done by a neutral third party, the CMO of the Enterprise to be precise.  And did we mention it’s on Valentine’s Day?





	Giveth My Heart to You

**Author's Note:**

> a fill for the Mcspirkholidayfest based on a wonderful prompt from trek-tracks.

“They want to do what?!”

“An orthotopic heart transplant I believe is the proper terminology.”

“I know what it is, Spock! What I really want to know is why anyone would suggest such a ridiculous idea!”

Jim sighed he knew this was going to be a sore subject for McCoy that was why he wanted himself and Spock to deliver the news rather than having Ambassador Fox wrecking any more havoc with his crew.

“Bones, you know that these two civilizations have been at war for over half a millennia. It’s going to take more than a treaty with the Federation’s stamp of approval to make this work.”

McCoy mumbled something about interfering for trade routes and Jim glared.

“There has to be strong action to back up these words. Both leaders have agreed to give up a piece of themselves to the other so neither one can kill the other.”

“Indeed.” Spock continued. “To give their hearts in exchange is to declare undying trust to the ones who were once the enemy. That is also why they wish it to take place on the start of the Blood Moon Harvest. The anniversary of when the war was declared. It’s a symbolic gesture.”

“No, a symbolic gesture is giving each other paper hearts covered in glitter! This is major surgery on two species we barely know the anatomy of. Don’t they have their own team for this?”

“It has to be done by a neutral party or either side will claim it’s insincere.” 

Jim reached across the briefing room table and placed his hand on McCoy’s arm. “Bones, I know you can do this.”

Jim’s words were cold comfort that barely registered as a million thoughts began flooding McCoy’s mind. This wasn’t a simple organ replacement with they could grow the hearts from stem cells in a controlled environment, ensuring functional valves, walls, and immune matches that wouldn’t mean possible rejection. This was a transplant that would require blood donors, where both donors were living and would have to be monitored, Lifelong medication afterwards, assuming anyone even survived the operation, and possibly even a cardiopulmonary bypass machine. They were talking medievalism here! Did they know just what they were asking of him?

As he looked at his two lovers though he could see in the frown lines around their mouths that yes they did know. They were asking him to save two worlds.

Research he thought. This would require a lot of research. 

***

Thankfully when you weren’t a part of their war simulation the people of Eminiar and Vendikar were both eager to share their cultures. They had libraries and archives of meticulously kept records. Temperature controlled for paintings manuscripts, and, helpfully, a large medical database. McCoy could almost see why they decided to battle over computers rather than risk losing all that to bombs and bullets. 

He would have preferred they chose peace several centuries ago so there would be more people around to enjoy the cultures, but it was better late than never. Looking through everything McCoy discovered that indeed the two leaders would be compatible for the operation and that there was even a precedent for this kind of thing with different organs involved and he started to have a glimmer of hope that this might actually work! 

Unfortunately In the course of his research he also found that the Blood Moon Harvest had a corresponding date on the federation calendar.

It was Valentines’ Day.

McCoy sighed and rubbed at his temples, as if the whole thing couldn’t get any worse. 

Now his colleagues would be surprised to learn that McCoy actually really liked Valentine’s Day treasured it even. He got it from his father he supposed. Before his death he had always gone out of his way to show how important McCoy’s mother was to him. In fact McCoy could vividly recall how one time when he had to be away his father had sent a singing telegram of all things to serenade his mother on their front porch. Much to the embarrassment of his 14 year old self of course.

Even during his marriage McCoy had always tried to make the day special with tickets to a show Jocelyn would like or cooking a special dinner. Things he thought he would never do again after the divorce until Jim and Spock had come along. Now his first Valentine's Day with them was going to be spent arm deep in heart transplant of all things, oh the irony. 

Still he was a doctor and as such he would do all that he could to preserve life. So he pushed his pain and disappointment down and focused on the task before him. He set up his team, made sure there were more back stocks of blood than he would need in case he had to go back in. Made sure both leaders were informed on what would take place and what they would both need to do afterwards. Then finally he set up a stimulants regiment for himself as he knew he was the only one who couldn’t rotate out during the operation.

***

The day of the operation arrived and while the rest of the crew was thinking about special dinners, gifts, and asking Sulu for flowers McCoy was dealing with the fanfare the two governments insisted on having for the occasion. They both arrived in separate shuttles with their entourages, there was flashy uniforms and bright colours, and McCoy would swear someone somewhere was playing a bugle every time he stepped through a door. Although he did manage to sneak away long enough to get flowers delivered to both Spock and Jim when their shift was over as he knew he would be far from finished by then. 

The operating theatre itself thankfully was still his domain and as such he made all the yahoos wait outside.

Then he got to work. 

The pace was indeed slow with careful monitoring, and even more careful cutting. Taking a moment to step back when a new nurse would join him to refocus his energy, knowing that one single mistake would cost billions of lives.

And so Alpha shift slipped away into beta.

The tension headache was raging by the time both hearts were pumping on their own again in their new bodies. Still McCoy ordered another stimulant as he then set about closing the wounds. He had to sew them up like garments. They wanted the scars to remain as a reminder of the ordeal, because of course they did.

Then at long last it was completed. Christine wiped the sweat from his forehead as other nurses came in to continue monitoring and prepare for the move to post-op.

“Congratulations, Leonard, this will go down as a medical first.”

Right now all McCoy wanted to do was go down on a bottle of whiskey ,maybe even have Jim and Spock join him for the tiny bit of Valentine’s Day that was left.

“Thank you, Nurse,” he said.

“Now I just need you to sign this before you go.”

McCoy looked down at the PADD she handed him to see the next day’s duty roster where he had been crossed off and she had agreed to work his shift.

“Thank you very much, Christine.”

“You deserve it and Happy Valentine’s Day. Nurse Ramero left candy hearts on your desk.”

McCoy managed his first smile in he didn’t know how long and left the room to find them and give himself the smallest of celebrations over a job well done.

He had barely stepped outside the room when he was confronted by Jim and Spock.

“Bones, how are they?”

McCoy bite his tongue and rubbed the bridge of his nose in frustration. Of course they would ask. It was naturally really. Two worlds and a trade route were at stake, but after all the weeks spent leading up to this up to his armpits in books and charts and reference material. Two whole shifts spent in surgery only to come out with his head pounding, his eyes blurring and his muscles aching; to find his lovers more concerned about the mission than him it was the last thing he wanted to hear.

“The surgery has been successful, Captain. They will both remain under close watch for post-op complications. Now as I am officially off-duty please direct all other inquires to Nurse Chapel.”

Jim stepped back. “Bones, what-”

“I’m not talking to you.”

“Doctor-”

“Or you.”

He pushed passed and them and didn’t stop until he was safely behind the door of his quarters. Then McCoy hid out Scotty’s room, cutting through their shared bathroom, after changing out his scrubs and setting a new record for fasted time in the shower, to avoid being seen.

Scotty was sitting at his desk looking over engine layouts, confined to quarters until the leaders were off the ship in a flimsy attempt to appease Ambassador Fox.

He waved McCoy over to the bed.

“Thanks,” he said gratefully, and collapsed on it.

He couldn’t sleep though he’d gotten too used to having someone next to him again.

So he and Scotty talked for a while and then when his stomach started growling he went off in search of food. And the sight of Uhura coming down the hall with an old bottle of scotch in one hand was as clear a sign as he needed to stay gone.

Instead of sitting down to a proper meal though McCoy found himself back in sickbay watching the monitors and munching on a small energy bar.

It didn’t surprise him when Jim and Spock came in and stood on either side of him ten minutes into his vigil. What did surprise him though was the mug of hot chocolate Jim had in his hands that he passed over to McCoy.

“Chocolate is a customary gift for today I believe,” Spock said.

McCoy nodded and sipped it, it was rich and smooth and wonderful.

“You did amazing, Bones.”

He shrugged and glared at the floor “Yeah, well you wanted a miracle. I gave you one.”

“True however, I believe what you wanted was for us to focus more on you than the mission, Leonard.”

“Duty comes first we all agreed to that when we started this…whatever we are.”

“We did, but you made the effort to think of us today even though your duty was greater than ours and we did not.”

Jim nodded. “This day was supposed to about strengthening the bonds between us regardless of everything else going on and we didn’t do that for you, Bones, and we’re sorry.”

“What can we do to make it up to you?”

McCoy tried to turn to look at Spock properly and answer, but winced as his neck protested.

Spock hands were there in an instant, pressing in small circles to convince the muscles to relax. McCoy sighed and slowly allowed the tension from the surgery to at last drain away

“You can keep doing that.”

Spock did as Jim quietly herded the three of them to the observation lounge. They found one of the larger couches and sat down, Jim twisting McCoy slightly to be able take off his boots as Spock moved to massage his hands. 

McCoy took the opportunity to press his fingers to Spock’s firmly and politely ignored the faint blush of green that filled Spock’s cheeks.

“I take it our apology is accepted.”

“It is.”

Jim smiled as the ship’s chimes rang midnight.

“Well we’re a bit late, but Happy Valentine’s Day, Bones.”

“To you two too.”

“Nurse Chapel informed us that you were off-duty tomorrow. Perhaps we may indulge in a belated meal together to celebrate if you desire, brunch I believe it is called.”

McCoy chuckled. He was going to make sure the toast was cut into heart shapes and smothered in strawberry jam.

The End


End file.
